Have You Tried Irwindale?
Al Davis isn’t the only football mogul out there shopping for a new stadium. The St. Augustine Tigers of the American Football League are looking for a home. Last year, when the Florida club paid $500-a-game rental to St. Joseph Academy for the use of its field, the Tigers’ largest crowd of paying spectators at any game numbered 34.
“We’re not going to stop playing football,” said owner-coach Jerry Easton. “We just have to figure out where.”
And why.
Apollo 13, Magic 12
Oscar hog Tom Hanks was in Houston this week to promote his upcoming movie, “Apollo 13” - and what better place to promote it than at the NBA Finals? After all, there’s probably twice as much media there than at any space launch.
After using “every cheesy ploy I could think of” to get tickets, Hanks was squeezed in for Game 3 in a seat under the basket by the Rockets - who are trying to match Hanks’ twoyear winning streak.
“I’ve never sat this close before,” said Hanks, adding that it was only the third basketball game he’d ever attended. “Everything they say is true. This is an amazing game.”
Other “Apollo 13” cast and crew members attending Sunday’s game included director Ron Howard and actors Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon and David Keith.
Asked what astronaut Jim Lovell, whom Hanks portrays in the upcoming movie, would have said about the series, Hanks replied, “He would have said, ‘Orlando, we have a problem.’ “
But it might scare them off on No. 1
At Rancho Park golf course, they have a plaque where Arnold Palmer once took a 12 during the Los Angeles Open. It’s supposed to provide inspiration for duffers. Unfortunately, as Michael Ventre writes in the Los Angeles Daily News, it’s at No. 18 and by that time, inspiration isn’t much good.
How ya gonna keep ‘em…
Down on the farm? Give them something to plow for.
How about an All-America team? Every other magazine in the country picks one and now so will Successful Farming magazine.
In its September issue, the magazine will feature its first All-America Farm Football Team made up of 22 current collegians - from schools big and small - who grew up on family farms.
“It might be harder to make it in sports after being on a farm,” said magazine spokesman Dave Mowitz. “You’re at a distinct disadvantage. The small high school you attend in rural areas may not have the best facilities or training or coaching.”
Because he wanted to award scholarships, Mowitz had to come up with a sponsor - and found Sandoz Crop Protection, which makes herbicides. Each player named to the team will have a $1,000 scholarship donated to his school.
Otherwise known as a subsidy.
The last word …
“There’s no use getting on me, because I’m not going to get any better.”
- Umpire Durwood Merrill, responding to Tigers manager Sparky Anderson’s complaints
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo